The Ars Ludi ensemble, consisting of three exceptional percussionists – Antonio Caggiano, Rodolfo Rossi and Gianluca Ruggeri – has been awarded the Silver Lion “for its performing virtuosity and capacity to transform the world of percussion into a compelling Machina Mundi”.
The Silver Lion is awarded to Antonio Caggiano, Rodolfo Rossi and Gianluca Ruggeri, the founders of Ars Ludi in 1987, as “the ideal interpreters of the new repertory of instrumental theatre, charismatic and histrionic musicians who transform each percussive sequence into a highly theatrical event, contributing to create a new vision of contemporary musical production in which the most complex scores are presented with an exhilarating and communicative approach to performing” (from the award statement).
Lucia Ronchetti writes: “The contemporary percussionist is a special musician, his arsenal of instruments has expanded with the evolution of composition and the dedicated repertory to include everyday objects, electrical mechanisms, mechanical instruments and digital percussion, as well as percussion instruments from other musical traditions. The percussionist must learn different techniques and move nimbly within his set, which sometimes occupies the entire stage and represents an imaginary theatre activated by the percussionist himself, like a deus ex machina, vocal operator, performer and demiurge”.
12:30 pm
Guido Barbieri in dialogue with Ars Ludi (30’)
